The present invention relates generally to chemical mechanical polishing of substrates, and more particularly to polishing with fixed-abrasive polishing pads.
Integrated circuits are typically formed on substrates, particularly silicon wafers, by the sequential deposition of conductive, semiconductive or insulative layers. After each layer is deposited, the layer is etched to create circuitry features. As a series of layers are sequentially deposited and etched, the outer or uppermost surface of the substrate, i.e., the exposed surface of the substrate, becomes increasingly non-planar. This non-planar outer surface presents a problem for the integrated circuit manufacturer. Therefore, there is a need to periodically planarize the substrate surface to provide a relatively flat surface. However, in some fabrication processes, planarization of the outer layer should not expose underlying layers.
Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is one accepted method of planarization. This planarization method typically requires that the substrate be mounted on a carrier or polishing head. The exposed surface of the substrate is placed against a rotating polishing pad. The polishing pad may be either a "standard" pad or a fixed-abrasive pad. A fixed-abrasive pad has abrasive particles held in a containment media, whereas a standard pad has a durable surface, without embedded abrasive particles. The carrier head provides a controllable load, i.e., pressure, on the substrate to push it against the polishing pad. A polishing slurry, including at least one chemically-reactive agent, and abrasive particles if a standard pad is used, is supplied to the surface of the polishing pad.
An effective CMP process not only provides a high polishing rate, but also provides a substrate surface which is finished (lacks small-scale roughness) and flat (lacks large-scale topography). The polishing rate, finish and flatness are determined by the pad and slurry combination, the relative speed between the substrate and pad, and the force pressing the substrate against the pad.
A reoccurring problem with fixed-abrasive pads is scratching of the substrate surface. Specifically, some CMP processes that use fixed-abrasive pads create shallow grooves, e.g., on the order of 500 angstroms deep, in the substrate surface. These grooves render the substrate finish unsuitable for integrated circuit fabrication, lowering the process yield.